Make sure your high school experience is filled with wonderful memories - learn how to make friends by being a true friend yourself

Make your high school experience a positive one.

Making friends at any time is never easy; however this is never more true than during high school when everyone is trying to figure out who they are and where they fit in. For some, high school is a wonderful experience filled with fun and exciting memories; for others it is a sad time filled with many memories of being alone and filling abandoned by their peers.

Ask a group of adults what their high school experience was like, and you will not have to ask many before you find some who tell you that they would never relive that experience for all of the world. There is almost nothing more difficult than to speak with someone who has a hard time making friends in high school.  

It is important to understand what it really means to be a friend. A friend is more than just someone to hang out with. A friend is someone who cares about your well being and is interested in seeing you succeed in all aspects of your life. True friends are often rare, and a good friendship takes time to develop and often involves numerous ups and downs. A friend is someone you can confide in and share your innermost thoughts and desires. Friends hold you accountable and hold you to a higher standard because they genuinely care about you. Is it any wonder that a real friend is hard to find, or that making friends in high school can become a challenge for some?

In order to have true friends, of course, you have to step outside of yourself and be one. Becoming a good friend involves caring genuinely about others. People enjoy being around other, who actually care about them. No one really wants to be a friend of someone who is always talking and thinking about themselves. Learning to ask good questions and developing active listening skills will assist you in shows others that you are interested in their lives. Remember, people really can tell the difference between someone who really cares about them and someone who is simply pretending.

Believe it or not, the absolute best way of making friends in high school is to just be yourself. Being comfortable with yourself first is the best way to start to establish healthy relationships with others. Rather than trying to force relationships with them before the time is right, just try to relax and give them a chance to get to know you as a person.

But it is hard to allow others to get to know you if you don't feel good about yourself. If you honestly don't like yourself, how can you expect anyone else to like you or want to be around you? If you find that you have some real self-esteem problems, ask a trusted adult to speak with you or to refer you to someone else who can help you work through these issues.

If you have not already, you might also try to get involved. High school afternoons are filled with various kinds of activities that can help you meet others and build memories. Often finding something in common with others can break the ice in making friends in high school. Sports teams as well as other academic teams and clubs sometimes helps this process happen more naturally. Also, these various activities allow you to spend a lot of time with peers who enjoy the same activities that you do.

Making friends in high school doesn't have to be a chore—just try to have fun doing what you love, and the friends will naturally come to you!